we had a blizzard Sunday - still wintry here - the cure for grey & cold - a cheery yellow bouquet from les iphotos archives
As the pain that can be told is but half a pain,
so the pity that questions has little healing in its touch.
What Lily craved was the darkness made by enfolding arms,
the silence which is not solitude, but compassion holding its breath.
Edith Wharton - from the House of Mirth
Empathy feels akin to Goldilocks and her porridge. Too much feels painful, too little feels selfish, thoughtless. I guess I am a fairly caring & compassionate person, but it's not always that I want to be that person - I just am that person. I can't walk away from suffering as much as it feels, so often, that I'm wishing I could. Quick, turn the blind eye, run in the other direction. But instead as I walk, open arms toward suffering, I'm always glad I'm doing it, I feel proud of myself but it feels, still, a heavy burden. I feel ill equipped to know & nurture feelings of empathy. I am it ... yet I feel I can't handle it.
To perceive is to suffer
Aristotle
Hey merci Aristotle ! ya took the words right out of my mouth
Thank you all for the comments & enthusiasm 'round my upcoming e-courses. I'm considering waiting 'til September to do the mixed media/collage course but think it would be great to do run the photo course in June in time for Summer & the prime photo taking season (of course I can run it again in the fall). ;-)
just listened to an excellent repeat 2 part interview on CBC radio 1's Q Gian & Kate Bush (here with Peter Gabriel)
Ah yellow, so needed this morning.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan.
,,,,type too small... can't...read.....
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Anon - the next size up is w-a-y too large. I'm surprised that I haven't had more "type is too small" comments but oh happy day it's an easy thing to change in your browser window.
ReplyDeletela link pour vous ;-)
http://www.ehow.com/how_4583236_enlarge-text-browser.html
“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”
ReplyDelete― Pema Chödrön, The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
Your yellows are candles in the darkness.
To perceive is to suffer ? That's not a very cheery ... but those yellow flowers are so very happy ... not sure WHAT to feel ...
ReplyDeleteHi Sybil, to perceive, to be aware I find often to be painful or another way to put it - ignorance "is" most definitely bliss.
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of this TED talk explains the "middle way" which is what I'm talking about, that fine point on the line where one's empathy or compassion for something or someone doesn't sink your own spirit yet is helpful or beneficial to the situation. I find it so difficult to find that perfect balance and am most often consumed with my feelings of empathy.
http://www.ted.com/talks/jackie_tabick.html
I love that song! Kate and Peter are two of my favourite songwriter artists. Thanks for posting the video as I shared it on my blog...yellow a very happy colour! I think to have empathy is to be very human. Like what MLOU had to say via Pema Chodron... XO Joni
ReplyDelete